The Lowcountry where I live

Mark asked about the name Lowcountry which is the area where I live along the southeastern coast.  The name is both a geographic and social identifier. The geographic area extends from the mid-lands of South Carolina to the coast.  Much of the land is at or near sea level, hence the term "Lowcountry".

If you fly over this coastal area what you will immediately notice are the marshes and dendritic meandering tidal creeks.  The tidal range here is around 5 feet, and when the tide goes out,  the marshes and mud flats are devoid of water.  The dark mud on the tidal flats is sticky and thick and is known as pluff mud.  It's often a revelation to those new to the area when they get out of a boat and sink up to their butt cheeks in pluff mud.  In fact, there is a bumper sticker that says: "Pluff mud: You never forget your first time".

Rolling in the pluff mud

The land is low with cypress bogs, marsh hammock islands, roads canopied by live oaks whose arching limbs are shrouded in silvery clumps of Spanish moss. But it's the omnipresent water—tidal marshes, rivers, estuaries, and the Atlantic Ocean—that really marks the culture of the region and makes it so distinctive.

On the sea islands such as the one where I live, there is a large African-American population.  Many are descendants of slaves who speak the old Gullah dialect which is "an English-based creole language containing many African loanwords and significant influences from African languages in grammar and sentence structure. Properly referred to as "Sea Island Creole" the Gullah language is related to Barbadian Dialect, Jamaican Creole, Bahamian Dialect, and the Krio language of Sierra Leone in West Africa. Gullah storytelling, cuisine, music, folk beliefs, crafts, farming and fishing traditions, all exhibit strong influences from West and Central African cultures." (from Wikipedia).


Among old timers, it is still possible to hear this wonderful language.  Here is a sample of the Lord's prayer in Gullah being spoken and written:

Baskets made by the Gullah out of pine needles and sweetgrass

 For many people in the Lowcountry, shrimping and crabbing are still actively a way of life.  More people have moved here from "off" because it is possible to buy waterfront property on deep water.  Some of the islands have become gated communities and resorts.  I'm glad to live on an island that still has the old ways and hasn't become a resort.

Shrimp boats coming in after a day on the water

Out here, you either stick it out or you find that having to drive 10 miles to get to a grocery store is a pain.  This island has a lot of churches and a couple of country stores.  There are no stop lights, no Wal-Marts, no commercial development.  Farming is still done on the island, with tomatoes being a big crop. The island is also home to the Charleston Tea Plantation and Irving House Vineyards.  Irving House markets Firefly Vodka which is vodka mixed with sweet tea.  And there are a few shrimp and fish docks that process seafood.

More and more people are coming to the Lowcountry because of the laconic life style, the beauty of the marshes and rivers, the architecture, the history, the art, the food and the southern hospitality.  So far, the island where I live is still unspoiled--close enough to town to get to great restaurants and "culture" but far enough away that most people don't want to move here.  That's a good thing.  Mine is a love affair with this place.

In search of the beautiful

The last few days have been involved with going over plans for the kitchen renovation, looking at and discussing some of the things that we will be replacing and then ordering them.  We actually sat with both laptops within ten feet of each other and would look at various products and talk about whether we liked them or not.  LOL--it was an efficient way to do it but seems so businesslike.

Anyway, the great news is that we agreed on various things so now we are just waiting for the cabinets, the sinks, the faucets, the microwave and the stove to come in.  We are going to use recycled glass for the countertops which is so neat.  If you haven't seen this stuff, it is really beautiful and yet makes use of recycled bottles along with some shell.

We will be cooking on a camp stove for a while.  I'm sure that there will be a point when we are both on our last nerve about the mess and noise, but hopefully, it will all be okay and made into a contemporary beautiful space.

I spent much of the day on Tuesday with the young Mexican fellow whom I sponsor.  He is now on Step Four and is so willing.  We talked some during lunch about what kind of pay he gets for the jobs he does.  He has worked in a lot of agricultural settings where he picked tomatoes for $2.00 a basket.  His mother gets paid about $50 for 8 hours of cleaning.  His father makes around $8.00 an hour.  Thankfully, the family is about six months away from getting a visa which will lead to a green card and then to citizenship.  At least, that is what they are hoping as they work with one of the local attorneys who does this kind of pro bono work.  If that happens, he will be able to have a driver's license, can apply to college, and seek out scholarships.

I don't know whether we are going out on the boat this weekend.  It might be a good weekend to stay at the marina and enjoy the view there, go to an open AA meeting on Saturday evening, and join the marina group for a party on Labor Day.

I am feeling good but tired.  I've stayed up too late each night and last night was no exception.  I turned to the RNC coverage and saw Clint Eastwood give a bizarre "speech".  It was as if I was watching someone self-destruct.  I thought that he might be drunk, but apparently it was an off the cuff ramble.  Maybe it was meant to be funny, but all I felt was embarrassment for him and his rambling diatribe at a chair that was supposed to have the President seated in it. I would have been better off sleeping.

I am wondering where we are going these days as a society because we seem to be so polarized that I wonder can there really be any healing.  I hope so. But have to say that I am not happy with the political atmosphere.  I am concerned about our planet and what we are doing to it.  I am concerned about the interjection of religious views into government.  It's best that I don't go on here.   I am passionate about a lot of things and the environment is probably at the top of the list.  Enough said by me.  I'll leave the rest to George Carlin:

“Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,

For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain.

America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,

And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea.”